Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Ridgetop]

Thank you!

Bruce: Yeah but try to tell a man that he is too old for anything! You should know that!!!

Of course, I was the one that went into the gully and fell down the 60 degree slope and ended up with a sprained knee! I guess you can't tell old women anything either. LOL

We keep forgetting how old we are which is why moms and dads still call our children "girls" and "boys". Sometimes we have to differentiate between the "little boys" and the "big boys".

 

[greybeard]

Before I answer any of the other questions, you should absolutely positively, fully understand, that neither Dallas nor Austin are in East Texas. Austin (which few real Texans even claim) is in the Hill Country, and Dallas is in the Black land Prairie region. East Texas is generally considered to be anywhere between East of I-45 and the Sabine River which it the Tx/La border, tho the farther North you go up I-45, the more distant from I-45 East Texas becomes.
https://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/states/texas/map-of-east-texas.html

 

[Bruce]

We keep forgetting how old we are which is why moms and dads still call our children "girls" and "boys". Sometimes we have to differentiate between the "little boys" and the "big boys".

So true! My DDs are 23 & 25. I guess that makes them women. But nope, they are girls to me! And me? Yeah there are things I might have thought about doing 20 years ago that I just say "I don't think so!" now. Not nearly as flexible, balance is OK but not what it was then. Better safe than sorry.

I wouldn't have any interest at all in living anywhere near Austin, Dallas, Ft.Worth, Houston. Has nothing to do with politics, etc. Just too dang many people. Plenty of places like that in East TX as well.

 

[Ridgetop]

I apologize Greybeard! Texas is so large that I didn't realize that was much beyond Dallas. I know Austin is in Hill Country and very humid. Is east Texas where all the Tornados are? Maybe I should rethink my ideas. BUT I still LOVE Texas!

 

[Ridgetop]

Ok, so the water lines we thought we capped were not the lines going to the leak. We have water in the barn again but until we find the actually leak we can't turn the water on except to fill water troughs. Water is coming up in 3 spots, by the barn, on the driveway, and close to the house. We think we have identified the spot closest to the house and water pipes that the line may originate from. Tomorrow DH and DS will dig down to try to find the ruptured line. Unfortunately the line may be an old galvanized line original to the house built in 1954. And if they can't locate the broken area far enough from the patio, then the break may be under the patio. They are hoping that they can find a joint to unscrew the line. I am afraid they will rupture the old pipe that is under the house. They have said that if necessary they will go under the crawl space to access the pipe. Both of them are BIG men over 300 lb. I think they outgrew the crawlspace a few years ago. I suggested a plumber but they looked at me with derision and sent me away. Living in fear . . . .

 

[Bruce]

As long as you can find a skinny plumber!

 

[Coolbreeze89]

I live midway between Austin and College Station. Stil Central Texas, but not Hill Country. Far enough from coast that humidity is better and hurricanes don’t cause as much trouble (and still south of tornadoes in Dallas!). Beautiful area with great ground water. Convenient to Austin and Houston. Just a thought for you to consider!

Thanks for your thread. I’m new to livestock, and love hearing your experiences.

 

[Baymule]

We live in Lindale, Texas. We are about 10 miles off Interstate 20 and 1 1/2 hours from Dallas. Tyler is the nearest big city. We love east Texas. Yes there are tornadoes, get a storm shelter. We used to live 30 miles from @greybeard in hurricane country. Phooey on hurricanes.

 

[greybeard]

I apologize Greybeard! Texas is so large that I didn't realize that was much beyond Dallas. I know Austin is in Hill Country and very humid. Is east Texas where all the Tornados are? Maybe I should rethink my ideas. BUT I still LOVE Texas!

Austin, is NOT humid, not compared to places in Texas farther East anyway.

Tornadoes can and do happen anywhere. I saw way more tornado warnings issued when I lived in the West part of the state than have happened here. "Tornado Alley" for Texas is generally a big rectangle the width of the panhandle beginning in the panhandle and stretching down to I-10.

Coolbreeze89 said:

I live midway between Austin and College Station. Stil Central Texas, but not Hill Country. Far enough from coast that humidity is better and hurricanes don’t cause as much trouble (and still south of tornadoes in Dallas!). Beautiful area with great ground water. Convenient to Austin and Houston. Just a thought for you to consider!

The Lexington/Dime Box/Giddings area? I lived and worked that area in the 80s. Home was just west of Caldwell on Highway 21 at Deanville. Nice area, but land is sky high there now.

I'm not much on easy living. I like rough, hard country, something with a challenge. This place was, but now it's too 'soft', but a place covered in trees and underbrush is non productive.

I see way too much of Texas being turned into tiny farms and "ranchettes" ..'farms' that are nothing more than than the same as living in town with a big backyard, with all the conveniences and amenities city life offers, and it is often by immigrants from other places that bring all their idiosyncrasies with them. It won't happen in my lifetime but this place will someday be the same way, sub-divided up with a half dozen different residences on it and a like number of big fancy "El Rancho Grande" or Lonesome Dove signs above the gateway entrances, a couple dozen goats or sheep and a bunch of chickens while all the while everyone laments real ag being tied up in so called "big ag' or 'corporate farms' as they drive into town in their SUVs and econo boxes.

My county is still cow and horse country. If I were to bring goats or sheep on this place, I wouldn't be able to go to town without having to sit off at a corner restaurant table by myself away from the other ranchers and hay farmers or be able to go to the feed store without the snickering and snide comments about my choice of livestock. I know..I've been in those places and saw the looks and hear the comments when my brother in law (raises hair sheep and chickens) came in and left.

Sometimes, I think if I were to buy sheep or goats, my neighbors might even burn me out. (I know they would if I brought and planted fescue here)
Not much chance of that on either account.

 

[Coolbreeze89]

We’re on 120 acres, near a town of 400. Definitely cow country. When we drive to Austin, my husband and I wonder how long til suburbia’s tentacles extend out to impact our home....